Generative entrenchment and an evolutionary developmental biology for culture

2006 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 364-366 ◽  
Author(s):  
William C. Wimsatt
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Biology ◽  
Population Genetics ◽  
Cultural Evolution ◽  
Evolutionary Developmental Biology ◽  
Evolutionary Synthesis ◽  
Cumulative Culture ◽  
New Synthesis ◽  
Generative Entrenchment

Mesoudi et al.'s new synthesis for cultural evolution closely parallels the evolutionary synthesis of Neo-Darwinism. It too draws inspiration from population genetics, recruits other fields, and, unfortunately, also ignores development. Enculturation involves many serially acquired skills and dependencies that allow us to build a rich cumulative culture. The newer synthesis, evolutionary developmental biology, provides a key tool, generative entrenchment, to analyze them.

Ewolucja. Twórcza moc selekcji

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerzy Dzik
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Biology ◽  
Natural Selection ◽  
Cultural Evolution ◽  
Political Institutions ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Evolutionary Developmental Biology ◽  
Homeotic Genes ◽  
Time Dimension ◽  
Geological Time ◽  
Theory Of Evolution

An instructive introduction to the theory of evolution and its applications in biology, physics, chemistry, geology and humanities. The author shows that evolution is a physical process, occurring in geological time dimension, describes how the Darwin’s theory of natural selection works in immunology, neurobiology, sociology as well as in certain aspects of culture and political institutions. He also shows the effects achieved through the action of selection in different areas of biological and social life. He discusses such problems as: the ambiguity of the term “theory of evolution”, the falsifiability of evolutionary hypotheses, connection between evolution and thermodynamics, the concept of reductionism, methodological background of phylogenetics, cladistics, evolutionary developmental biology and homeotic genes, as well as the cumulative nature of social and cultural evolution.

Evo-devo, modularity, and evolvability: Insights for cultural evolution

2006 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 361-362 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon M. Reader
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Biology ◽  
Cultural Evolution ◽  
Evolutionary Developmental Biology ◽  
Individual Learning ◽  
Cultural Selection ◽  
New Methods ◽  
Cognitive Modularity ◽  
Evo Devo

Evolutionary developmental biology (“evo-devo”) may provide insights and new methods for studies of cognition and cultural evolution. For example, I propose using cultural selection and individual learning to examine constraints on cultural evolution. Modularity, the idea that traits vary independently, can facilitate evolution (increase “evolvability”), because evolution can act on one trait without disrupting another. I explore links between cognitive modularity, evolutionary modularity, and cultural evolvability.

Evo-Devo and the Structure(s) of Evolutionary Theory

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan C. Love
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Biology ◽  
Evolutionary Theory ◽  
Mechanistic Explanation ◽  
Evolutionary Developmental Biology ◽  
Primary Concern ◽  
Adaptive Function ◽  
Specific Content ◽  
Central Location ◽  
Developmental Form ◽  
Evo Devo

Many researchers have argued that evolutionary developmental biology (evo-devo) constitutes a challenge to standard evolutionary theory, requiring the explicit inclusion of developmental processes that generate variation and attention to organismal form (rather than adaptive function). An analysis of these developmental-form challenges indicates that the primary concern is not the inclusion of specific content but the epistemic organization or structure of evolutionary theory. Proponents of developmental-form challenges favor moving their considerations to a more central location in evolutionary theorizing, in part because of a commitment to the value of mechanistic explanation. This chapter argues there are multiple legitimate structures for evolutionary theory, instead of a single, overarching or canonical organization, and different theory presentations can be understood as idealizations that serve different investigative and explanatory goals in evolutionary inquiry.

scholarly journals Taking the Historical-Social Dimension Seriously: A Reply to Bandini et al.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miriam Noël Haidle ◽  
Oliver Schlaudt
Keyword(s):  
Social Learning ◽  
Cultural Evolution ◽  
Recent Article ◽  
Social Dimension ◽  
Archaeological Record ◽  
Cumulative Culture ◽  
Fundamental Notion ◽  
Dynamic Interpretation

AbstractIn our recent article, "Where Does Cumulative Culture Begin? A Plea for a Sociologically Informed Perspective" (Haidle and Schlaudt in Biol Theory 15:161–174, 2020) we commented on a fundamental notion in current approaches to cultural evolution, the “zones of latent solutions” (henceforth ZLS), and proposed a modification of it, namely a social and dynamic interpretation of the latent solutions which were originally introduced within an individualistic framework and as static, genetically fixed entities. This modification seemed, and still seems, relevant to us and, in particular, more adequate for coping with the archaeological record. Bandini et al. (Biol Theory, 2021) rejected our proposition and deemed it unnecessary. In their critique, they focused on: (1) our reservations about an individualistic approach; (2) our objections to the presumption of fully naive individuals; and (3) our demand for an extended consideration of forms of social learning simpler than emulation and imitation. We will briefly reply to their critique in order to clarify some misunderstandings. However, the criticisms also show that we are at an impasse on certain crucial topics, such as the meaning of ZLS and the scope and nature of culture in general. Thus, we consider it necessary to make an additional effort to identify the conceptual roots which are at the very basis of the dissent with Bandini et al.

scholarly journals Nuclear Receptors and Development of Marine Invertebrates

Genes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 83
Author(s):  
Angelica Miglioli ◽  
Laura Canesi ◽  
Isa D. L. Gomes ◽  
Michael Schubert ◽  
Rémi Dumollard
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Biology ◽  
Nuclear Receptors ◽  
Marine Invertebrates ◽  
Transcriptional Response ◽  
Evolutionary Developmental Biology ◽  
Significant Progress ◽  
Ligand Interactions ◽  
Ancestral States ◽  
Nr Activity ◽  
Unique Ability

Nuclear Receptors (NRs) are a superfamily of transcription factors specific to metazoans that have the unique ability to directly translate the message of a signaling molecule into a transcriptional response. In vertebrates, NRs are pivotal players in countless processes of both embryonic and adult physiology, with embryonic development being one of the most dynamic periods of NR activity. Accumulating evidence suggests that NR signaling is also a major regulator of development in marine invertebrates, although ligands and transactivation dynamics are not necessarily conserved with respect to vertebrates. The explosion of genome sequencing projects and the interpretation of the resulting data in a phylogenetic context allowed significant progress toward an understanding of NR superfamily evolution, both in terms of molecular activities and developmental functions. In this context, marine invertebrates have been crucial for characterizing the ancestral states of NR-ligand interactions, further strengthening the importance of these organisms in the field of evolutionary developmental biology.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document